Why is it in the news?
Iran accused the United States of attacking a desalination plant located on Qeshm Island.
The incident has drawn attention to the strategic island near the Strait of Hormuz.
Category: Geography
Important Points:
● Qeshm Island is the largest island in the Persian Gulf.
● It belongs to Iran and lies near the Strait of Hormuz.
● The island runs parallel to the Iranian mainland.
● It is separated from the mainland by the Clarence Strait.
● Located near Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan Province.
● The island covers an area of about 1,491 sq km.
● It is about 2.5 times larger than Bahrain, the second-largest Gulf island.
● The coastline is mostly rocky with sandy bays and mud flats in the northwest.
● The island has about 59 towns and villages with a population of roughly 120,000.